This Sunday sees the first of the Scottish Premier League’s Old Firm derby matches and as usual the build-up to this game is already under way. It’s no surprise, to say there is no love lost between these two Scottish giants. Both Rangers and Celtic have been at loggerheads with each other for over 120 years. For those football purists out there that love their football played with guile, skill and agility - best stay clear of this match. This has more to do with passion than football, rivalry dug so deep and brimming with a dark undertone.

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England football fans are left wringing their hands, once again, after England’s sad performance on Wednesday night against the Czech Republic. This was Fabio Capello’s third match in command of our home team and football betting enthusiasts are gradually realising that the long awaited saviour has not, in fact, arrived and that things seem pretty much the same as they were under Steve McClaren. Perhaps the recall of David Beckham was the first worrying sign.

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The Premiership kicked of this weekend and, at the end of it, football betting enthusiasts are no nearer any insight into how the top four will shuffle themselves this season. Manchester United were unconvincing against a probably temporarily resurgent Newcastle United while Chelsea gave a pretty self-assured account of themselves in their rout of Portsmouth. Arsenal and Liverpool trod water in their encounters with West Brom and Sunderland.

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With new Premiership 08/09 season just around the corner we thought it best to bring you the latest Premiership betting odds for who is likely to win the Premiership but also who is favourites to be relegated from the Premiership. So here’s your chance to support your Premiership team before a ball is kicked in anger and get the best deals going from all of the major online bookies. Click on any of our special Premiership betting deals and receive free bets when you sign-up for a free account.

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The start of the Scottish Premier League is in jeopardy because of a strike threat from Scottish refs over a pay dispute. The SRA (Scottish Referee Association) has demanded that match officials payment rise from £575 to £800 per SPL match. The SPL have offered £600 per match and now strike action seems imminent, unless an agreement can be reached. Scottish football betting fans will be aware at the fixture congestion schedule at the end of last seasons SPL campaign that saw Rangers play 5 games in 11 days and lose the UEFA Cup final and also the SPL title on the final game of the season.

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Joey Barton was released from prison earlier this week after serving less than half of a six-month prison sentence for an assault on a teenager in Liverpool last year. While he was in jail he was given a four-month suspended sentence for an assault on his then Manchester City team mate, Ousmane Dabo. His current employers, Newcastle United FC, have said they will give the player another chance although they declare that they will seek to reduce his wages by half. In all likelihood, they will take the first opportunity to sell him. Since his release the Football Association has announced that he is to be charged with violent conduct over the Dabo incident.

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They are the ones that you look to for inspiration - on and off the park. Men that are born leaders, that will fight for the team, lift heads when they are down and think second place is for wimps. They are the football captains who carry the dreams and glory of thousands upon their shoulders.

We’re delighted to pick our favourite Top 10 great football captains for all our football betting readers. I’m sure you’ll feel that we have missed someone out so please use the comments to let us know who you feel should be in our Top 10 great football captains list.

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Sir Alex Ferguson has spoken and when SAF speaks, football listens, and this time is no exception. He says he doesn’t rate Chelsea’s chances next season because the team is old, unchanged and already running at peak. He can’t see what Scolari can bring to that situation. Premiership betting fans, mulling over these musings, will be balancing the Scolari effect at Chelsea against SAF’s approach to juggling Wayne Rooney with either Dimitar Berbatov or Roque Santa Cruz, depending who he gets, for the role of sole striker in their successful 4-1-4-1 and 4-5-1 formats of last season. He can’t exclude Wayne yet he doesn’t want to disturb a winning formula.

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With the countdown to the new season getting ever closer we thought it best to wet the appetites of all the regular football betting readers who tune into the Free Bets Blog with a selection of some of the finest football goal celebrations down the years.

Each celebration holds its own tale and in the shadows of the new 08 / 09 premiership betting season we hope it gives some inspiration to the world class talent on display on how best and best not to celebrate a goal.

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A recent injection of rumour in the close-season transfer market has at last sparked some movement in which has been a very quiet affair - Roanldo of Man Unt and Lampard of Chelsea aside. Perhaps it’s the current economic climate that is playing its part but for your average football betting punter scanning the back pages of the newspaper or online sports channels looking for some transfer gossip has been hard work as of late.

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